Crystal River current., 1887-02-05
THE HOTEL LAMsERT.


a wonderful old Palace en- the seine
The Home Of a Polish Patriet.
Anyone knowing Paris well. IS Paris
should be known. and discussing it
with the stranger. will invariably find
that he is wea acquainted with the
Louvre Especially the Magasins). with
the Tuileries, the Invalides, the Hotel
d Vile; more superficially with the
Tour St. Jacques, the St. Chapelle,
that gem in stone; the Hotel Cluny. .
privals residence resembling museum;
hut that he is profoundly unaware of
the existence of numerous places preg-
nant with deeper interest, still breath
ing the life Of those past ages which he
processes to like and traces of which he
seeks with such seeming eagerness dur
ing his stay in Europe.
OF Such, writes q correspondent of
The NcU York Sun, is the Hotel Lam
bert. In the historical quarters of old
Paris, in the lie st. Louis. near the an
cient church dedicated to the sainted
king of France, under the shadow of
the towers of Notre Dame. its walls
bathed by the swift waters of the Seine,
stands building which has defied
time and revolutions, to-day seems to
rise in protest against the encroach-
ments of frivolous. futile. pleasure
seeking era. The hotel, as it is called
palace as it is-was erected toward
the close of the century of Louis XIV.
by the wealthy financier whose name it
bears. No expense was spared to
make it one of the most sumptuous
residences in Paris. A lavish and in
telligent hand filled it with treasurers
of art with. a profusion remarkable
even at period when such prodigality
was less rare than it is now. Some of
The costly ornamentation and few of
the precious works of art have, sadly
enough, been sacrificed to the vitiated
taste OF succeeding generation and
to love of change and remodeling,
but enough of the original remains to
make it magnificently unique. The
Hotel Lambert was almost miraculous
ly spared during the revolution of '93.
It. however, then became national
property, and as such was indifferently
kept up. Some pictures were sold to
defray expenses, and the priceless fres-
Goes were damaged by damp. The
work of decay would have progressed
unchecked had not Prince Adam Cszar-
torisky bought the property.
The prince was a lineal descendant
of the kings of Poland. He had
repeatedly and earnestly endeavored to
deliver his country from the iron rule
of the Muscovitcs. and exile was the
penalty of his patriotism. He emigrat-
ed to France. and finally settled in
Paris with his family. and after a year
or two purchased the Hotel Lambert,
fitting abode for the banished heir of
royal race. He had the artistic sense
to leave unaltered the characteristic
features of the residence. merely re-
storing the beauties dimmed by neg
lect
A lofty porte cocherc leads from the
street into an inner court. Facing it o
broad stoop of eight steps leads to a
pcrron. from which two short circular
flights rise, 10 meet again at the foot of
. monumental staircase. This stair
case is entirely of white marble. and
the balistrade is sculptured and fretted
like lace The elevation of the dome
d enormous. The side walks are lined
with the most perfect of Gobelin tapes
tries. Above a gallery, equally carved
in delicate open tracery, leads to the
apartments of the first floor. Time
has mellowed the dazzling whiteness
of the marble, and lent it an addition
al grace.
Through n paneled anteroom you pass
into the first reception-room. with its
tall, dark, wooden dado and ceiling
in deep catssons richly painted. The
highly-wrought gigantic brass clock.
the candelabras. and the quaint massive
dogs and andirons are in the purest
style OF Louis XIV. The apartment
abounds in pictures and historical fur
niture, and leads into the state saloon,
forming perfect square. The decora-
fion of the walls consists of white pam
els. with heavily gilt holdings framing
lofty mirrors rising from the parqueted
floor to the highly ornamented ceiling.
Four chandeliers of rock crystal hang